Employers Urged To Step Up Working At Height Safety

Posted on 30th Jan, 2014 | By Lorretta Tatham

The director of a Plymouth roofing company has been fined this month following the tragic death of one of his employees in 2011.

David Faulkner, a partner at Roofcare Roofing and Building Contractors, pleaded guilty to an offence under the Work at Height Regulations 2005 after his employee, decorator Alan Beutner, sustained fatal injuries in a fall while at work.

Mr Beutner had been working on an unsecured ladder against curved ironwork when the ladder twisted from beneath him causing him to fall to the concrete paving below. He suffered devastating internal injuries and, despite emergency surgery, passed away some days later.

A catalogue of failures on the part of Roofcare Roofing and Building Contractors was recorded during an investigation by the HSE, including:

– The ladder had a maximum safe working load of 95kg; Mr Beutner weighed 110kg
– The work should ideally have been carried out from secure scaffolding
– The ladder should have been securely braced and tied to the building

With the right equipment and training, this tragic accident could have been avoided entirely.

Health and Safety for Ladder Users

If you operate in an industry where working at heights is par for the course, it’s your legal duty to ensure that both you and your staff are fully versed in the latest Health and Safety procedures.

Not only that, but you must ensure that employees at your organisation are furnished with the right equipment for the job they’re undertaking.

– Suitable for the job at hand
– Well maintained
– Used only by staff members who have had appropriate training

Our range of high quality, durable ladders and access equipment comes with a 12-month guarantee and free delivery for most of the mainland UK. And with our friendly and knowledgeable staff on hand to advise you, it couldn’t be simpler to give your staff the equipment they need to stay safe.

Failure to fulfil your Health and Safety responsibilities could lead to legal action against you or – worse – to a serious, life-changing and entirely preventable accident.